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First he showed us menswear. Then he wowed us with his new Bastian girl. Here, MB breathes new life into that old chestnut of theater reviews, “tour de force.” Beautiful clothes, and easily one of the most diverse cast of models around.

The Hall of Fame celebrates alumni who have distinguished themselves in entrepreneurial endeavors across all types of enterprises. Babson alumni entrepreneurs are inducted annually where they are recognized for their accomplishments in creating economic and social value. . . .

Michael Bastian (’87) is a luxury American menswear designer born in Lyons, New York, a small upstate town near Lake Ontario. Upon graduating from Babson in 1987, he moved to Manhattan, taking his first job as an assistant buyer at Abraham & Strauss, subsequently taking on roles of increasing acclaim at world-renowned institutions—Sotheby’s, Tiffany & Co., and Ralph Lauren. Bastian was appointed as men’s fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman in 2000. It was during his five-year tenure there that he was inspired to introduce his eponymous line, Michael Bastian​.

In 2007, his first full year in business, Bastian was named the CFDA’s newcomer menswear designer of the year.

Partnering with global lifestyle brand GANT in the fall of 2010, Bastian created a fully-realized collection of men’s and women’s ready to wear as well as eyewear and watches under the label GANT by Michael Bastian​. In its second full season, the collection earned Bastian the nod as one of GQ magazine’s six finalists in the running to be selected “best new menswear designer in America.” Over the course of nine collections, GANT by Michael Bastian earned worldwide popularity—re-invigorating the classic American brand—and burnished Bastian’s own credentials as one of the most important influencers in menswear.

In the summer of 2013, Michael Bastian collaborated with global retailer UNIQLO to create a line of limited edition polo shirts, under the label “UNIQLO X Michael Bastian.”​ The instant and overwhelming success of the line led to the release of a second capsule the following spring, this time including children’s polos.

Other licenses and partnerships have included jewelry with George Frost, leather bags and accessories with Frank Clegg, hats with Eugenia Kim, and shoes with Stubbs & Wootton.

Always on the leading edge, Michael Bastian introduced the MB Chronowing​ in the fall of 2014, a handsome Smartwatch of his design, engineered by Hewlett-Packard. Both the classic and limited editions launched exclusively on Gilt Groupe and sold out shortly after their debut.

Nominated for four consecutive years from 2008-2011 as a finalist for the CFDA’s menswear designer of the year award, Bastian claimed victory in 2011 and earned yet another nomination in 2013.

Designed in New York and made entirely in Italy, now in its ninth year, Michael Bastian is carried across the world in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as his own webstore.

Since he first hinted at the possibility of a webstore, Michael Bastian’s devotees have awaited that launch with bated breath. The man appears to have meticulously prepared for this day, and has timed it as part of a broader restructuring of his business.

As many labels have undoubtedly noticed, e-commerce allows labels to interact better with prospective clients. It also allows labels to see what items are performing well, and to tailor their offerings accordingly.

‘My Affair’ is thrilled and welcomes MB’s online presence. See it here.

One of the surest signs that a designer is gaining confidence is his/her willingness to recall label classics. Michael Bastian is showing his Fall/Winter 2015 collection in Milan this week, and the collection features many MB signatures. Count them: whimsical cartoon motifs; obscure literary references; dutiful nods to American athleticism; familiar military influences; and even cameos by MB x Frank Clegg leather goods in new iterations.